Jammu: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo Monday chaired a detailed review meeting of the Agriculture Production Department (APD) to examine the modalities of a comprehensive plan aimed at significantly enhancing milk production, processing, and value-addition across Jammu & Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, APD; Principal Secretary, Finance; Commissioner Secretary, Cooperatives; Secretary, RDD; Managing Director, HADP; Representative from NABARD and other senior officers of the Department.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary conducted thoroughly evaluated the proposed roadmap aimed at enhancing dairy development in the Union Territory (UT). Addressing the meeting he emphasized the importance of analyzing the outcomes of existing dairy sector interventions under the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) to leverage their strengths in the new strategy. A well-structured approach, supported by strong infrastructure and efficient value chains, is deemed essential for significant advancements in the sector, ultimately benefiting dairy farmers across Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The Chief Secretary also instructed the Department to examine successful dairy models from other states to identify best practices that could be adapted to local conditions. He highlighted the necessity of close collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to incorporate its expertise and ongoing programs, aiming for optimized results within J&K’s dairy ecosystem. The Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture Production Department (ACS APD), Shailendra Kumar, noted that J&K currently ranks eighth in the country for milk production, with a per capita availability of 577 grams per day. Despite a production capacity of approximately 80 lakh litres per day (LLPD), only about 4 LLPD is being processed. He pointed out that dairy development holds significant potential for growth in J&K, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.55%, anticipating milk production to reach around 50.74 million tonnes by 2031-32. Ongoing interventions aimed at enhancing production, processing, and value addition were also discussed. The Managing Director of HADP, Sandeep Kumar, presented a new initiative designed for implementation over a seven-year period from 2026-27 to 2033-34. This plan aims to integrate over five lakh dairy farmers into a technology-driven value chain. It focuses on two key components: establishing modern, automated milk processing plants in production zones and creating a decentralized network for milk collection, chilling, and related infrastructure to support these facilities. The initiative adopts a farmer-centric model that decentralizes power and profits, with implementation primarily through farmer-owned organizations such as cooperatives, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs/FPCs), and Self-Help Group (SHG) cluster federations. Technical and administrative support will be provided by the NDDB and the Animal Husbandry Department of J&K. The plan also ensures balanced geographical development by proposing a milk processing plant in each major production area, with each facility designed for significant initial processing capacity, expandable to 1 lakh litres per day (LLPD) based on future growth. Additionally, the project envisions strengthening Dairy Cooperative Societies to establish a direct link between dairy farmers and the new processing facilities, thereby ensuring improved remuneration, transparency, and long-term sustainability for the dairy sector in J&K.
